In this, the second part of the series, we dive into the dizzying world of Monferrato. Moscato and barbera may reign, but it’s these multitudes of obscure and fascinating grape varieties that really keep wine geeks coming back for more.

Maybe I’d hate to see that tiny little plot of odd vines uprooted to make room for more really excellent Merlot. The preservation of the good of a few over achieving the best good of the many? Maybe, but Americans long ago decided that diversity is good for everyone.

Twenty years ago there was only a handful of Israeli wines, and very few of interest to the international consumer. Today, there are 300 different wineries, and many of them are making wines that are not only...